RL Yacht Owner's Discussion Forum

At the Victorian Trailable Yacht Championship 2012 held at Lake Eppalock Victoria and
conducted by the Bendigo Yacht Club (BeYC), three sportsboats i.e., two Thompson 7’s and
a Sprint 550, all of which hold dual ratings of CBH & SMS, submitted entry forms for the
Championship.

The sportsboat entries were unexpected as the Notice of Race was thought to be specific, in
as much as it stated, 2012 Victorian Trailable Yacht Championship. As well, the Victorian
Australian Sportsboat Association Championship had been conducted prior to the Victorian
Trailable Yacht Championship 2012 and it was not envisaged that sportsboats would
attempt to enter the Trailable Yacht Championships.

Unknowingly, the entry of these sportsboats was accepted by the BeYC and it was only on
the first morning of the Championship when the sportsboats arrived at the club that it was
realised that the skippers of these boats had indeed entered the TY Championship.

This created a rather embarrassing situation for both the Bendigo Yacht Club and the YV TYD
as no provision for a sportsboats division had been made within the regatta or, for prizes for
a sportsboat division.

At the BeYC Regatta Office, even though the skippers of the sportsboat were told that this
was a championship for trailable yachts, they insisted that they be included in the 2012
Trailable Yacht Championship.

They cited Item 3 of the NOR governing the regatta which stated: -

“Item 3, Eligibility and Entry, 3.1.

Yachts complying with the “Trailable Boat” definition as detailed in YA SR Part 1, for
Racing Boats, Item 1.03.1 will be allowed entry”.

The sportsboat skippers were correct in their interpretation and it was quickly realised that
both the BeYC and the YV TYD had no option other than to accept the sportsboat entries.
This necessitated a speedy change to the Sailing Instructions which caused considerable
concern to the officials of the BeYC, the YV TYD and importantly the trailable yacht entrants.

At the conclusion of the regatta, during the presentation of Prizes, another awkward
moment occurred when no trophy was available to be presented to the winning sportsboat
in Division 3.

Fortunately, the overall Victorian Trailable Yacht Champion 2012 went to the skipper of a
Castle 650 which averted another unpleasant confrontation with the sportsboat skippers.

To eliminate any further dispute between host club’s/organising authority’s, the YV TYD and
sportsboat skippers who claim that their boat is classified as both a trailable yacht and a
sportsboat, it is proposed that as the YA NTYSBPC has referred this matter to the YA NTYSB
Technical Committee the following suggestion be adopted.

The YA NTYSB Technical Committee believes that this problem may be overcome in the
following manner.

1. The Notice of Race, in Item 1 Rules must state; -

“The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of sailing
2009 – 12, the Yachting Australia (YA) Special Regulations (SR) Part 1 for Racing
Boats, the Australian Trailable Yacht & Sports Boat Rule (ATYSBR), and the relevant
class rules, (except as any of these are altered by the Sailing Instructions)”.

2. Because the ATYSBR is mentioned in the rules governing the regatta, classification of
a TY or SB can then be decided by referring to the ATYSBR Appendix `A` (National
CBH List) and finding the CBH of the particular class or boat and noting the title of
the CBH table in which it listed.

3. Further, it is recommended that the present definition of a “Trailable Boat” be
removed from the YA SR Part 1, Definitions, and replaced with the words; “Refer to
the ATYSBR”

Action in respect to resolving this long standing problem is urgently required in order to
prevent further incidents of this nature occurring at future trailable yacht regattas.

Finally, by reference to the ATYSBR Appendix `A` (National CBH List), a Race Organising
Authority can quickly and accurately classify a TY or SB and allocate them to the correct
Division.